I’m taking a break from my stretching soapbox (is that the sound of a villager cheering?) to offer up a recommendation that is 
not only as soothing and relaxing as any good stretching or yoga session, it’s utterly effortless: piano music by Michael Strening, Jr. — www.msj-music.com. What a pleasant coincidence that I happened upon what will clearly be on heavy rotation in my home and work for the forseeable future:
Living mere footsteps away from our town’s annual outdoor festival, which includes a huge craft fair, an amusement park, booths from various area restaurants, and multiple concerts and entertainment, it’s only natural that we always spend a portion of the Labor Day weekend as eager attendees to the festivities. And this past Sunday, we had the good fortune to time one of our visits so that our leisure stroll was accompanied by these warm, sunny, rippling piano notes that perfectly echoed the bright, breezy, mild weather our area was graced with all weekend. It was the kind of music that some deep recess of your brain is listening to and enjoying constantly, even as your conscious mind is only hazily aware of it. Thank goodness I just happened to glance over and spot a table on which the artist’s CD’s were being displayed, as only then did it dawn on me to stop and appreciate the lovely music that had been cascading seamlessly through my head. We resumed our walking, but the seed had been planted, and I couldn’t shake my newfound awareness of this delightful music. It evoked the same kind of emotions I feel when out for a super-early run, right at that moment when the pre-dawn gives way to the first sign of sunrise. I’d call it “breaktaking,” but more like, “breathMAKING” — where I suddenly pause, waiting, until indeed I notice my breath is streaming in and out calmly, almost imperceptably.
So needless to say, I had to redirect my husband’s and my course and approach the musician, Michael Strening, Jr., and purchase one of his CD’s! It turns out he was as delightful a person to talk to as he is gifted with his music. I’m happy to have had the good luck to experience both.
In any event, based on our conversation and his recommendation, we chose his “Falling Water / Music for Relaxation” CD. My intention is to use it as an accompaniment for my upcoming fall session of yoga classes, but I have to tell you, given it’s already been on continuous play as I do my normal daily work for The Flexibility Coach, it will be difficult to wrestle it out of my home CD player!
So whether you’re stretching or doing yoga to one of my online workouts, or doing so through some other program, I highly recommend you check out Michael’s music to set the mood, it’s truly exceptional!
The Flexibility Coach 